How to Apply for a Driving Licence in India- Online/Offline

Gone are the days when owning a vehicle was considered a trait of an affluent lifestyle. It is now a part of every household, used for myriad purposes, from commuting to carrying cargo. However, in order to legally drive a vehicle, one needs to meet a variety of criteria, including but not limited to meeting certain safety standards and having an appropriate driver's licence.

If you have reached the legal age of driving a vehicle, you should first apply for a learner’s licence in order to learn the fundamentals of driving and traffic norms. A driving licence can be obtained by visiting the concerned RTO (Region Transport Office). Moreover, you can also apply for a driving licence online since the Government has digitized the process. 

Types of Driving Licence

There are broadly two types of driving licence:

1. Learner’s Licence: Learner's licences are issued to people to educate them on the know-how of driving. Learner's licences are only valid for a limited period of time, and they are usually issued for 6 months.

2. Permanent Driving Licence: A driving licence can be obtained once the applicant meets the set criteria. The age of the applicant must be 18 years at the time of the application. In the case of commercial vehicles, the age of the applicant should be 20 years.

3. Commercial Driving Licence: Commercial Driving Licence is only issued in the case of heavy-duty vehicles. The minimum age to apply for a commercial driving licence is 20 years. However, some states have set 18 years as the age of eligibility. The applicant must undergo special training at a government centre or any such centre which is affiliated with the government.

Eligibility for a Driving licence in India

Let's dive deeper into the eligibility criteria that one should meet before applying for a driving licence online in India.

Non-Gear vehicles below 50 CC	16 Years with the consent of the parent/guardian
Gear vehicles	18 Years
Commercial Vehicles	20 Years; Education up to 8th standard at least; Received training from the government or from any centre that is affiliated to the government.

Learner's Driving Licence Documents List

Before applying for a permanent driving licence, the applicant must qualify for the learner’s driving test and hold a valid licence. Here is the learner’s driving licence documents list which is required to appear for a learner’s driving licence test:

1. Application Form
2. Age Proof of the applicant
3. Passport size photographs of the applicant
4. Residence Proof of the applicant
5. Medical fitness self-declaration
6. Requisite Fee
7. Medical Certificate

After the verification of the submitted documents, the concerned officials will check if the applicant suffers from any color blindness. After that, the applicant will be required to appear for 20 minutes driving test along with 20 objective-type questions. In order to procure the learner's licence, the applicant should clear the specified tests. Wondering if you will be able to ace these tests? Don't worry, we have got you covered. At Driving Licence Help, we provide driving licence guidebook which will educate you about the fundamentals of driving. After reading our guidebook, you can apply for the AI-based mock test series that comes free along with the guidebook at no extra cost. With this comprehensive process, you will be able to ace the test that you will appear for at the concerned RTO (Regional Transportation Office).  

Permanent Driving Licence Documents List

Once you have obtained a valid learner's licence, you will be eligible to apply for a driving licence online or offline. It should be noted that after acquiring the learner's licence, the applicant will have to wait for a period of 30 days to apply for a driving licence. Also, the validity of a learner’s licence is only 180 days from the date of issue. Here is the permanent driving licence documents list, which is mandatory to procure a permanent driving licence.

1) Valid Learner’s Licence 
2) Requisite Fee
3) Age Proof of the applicant
4) Residence Proof of the applicant
5) 1 passport-sized photograph of the applicant.
6) In the case of commercial licence, Form no.5 is to be attached.
7) Vehicle category 

After the comprehensive verification process of all the submitted documents, the applicant will be required to appear for a driving test. The test gauges the driving capability of the applicant, including but not limited to their familiarity with the traffic norms, understanding of the vehicle, and ability to perform maneuvers. If the applicant manages to clear the test, then he or she will be awarded a permanent driving licence, but if they fail to pass the test, they can reappear for the test after 7 days.

Driving Licence Online Mode

Follow the below steps to apply for a driving licence online via the government’s online portal.

• Visit the online portal of Parivahan.
• Hover over the online service tab and click on it.
• Select the state from the dropdown you want to apply from.
• Click on the option "Driving Licence Related Services".
• Fill out all the mandatory details of the applicant.
• Applicants need to scan and upload all the necessary documents.
• Make the payment.
• Book a convenient time slot.
• Appear for the driving test.
• Driving Licence would be delivered to the doorstep if the applicant manages to clear the test.

Driving Licence Offline Mode

If you don’t find it convenient to apply for a driving licence online, you can apply for it through offline mode by following the below process:

• The applicant is required to download Form 4, which is needed to apply for Driving Licence. Forms are available at the concerned state’s transport official sites. 
• Next, the applicant needs to fill out the application form and then submit it along with other necessary documents.
• Then the applicant will be required to pay the application fee.
• Then the applicant is required to book a slot.
• Applicants need to appear for the driving test at the RTO Office.
• If the applicant manages to pass the driving test, then they will be handed over the licence. 

Conclusion

Once you have reached the legal age of driving (18 in India), you can apply for a driving licence as mandated by the government of India, to legally drive on the road. We hope that you have read our entire article carefully, and understood the steps involved in applying for a driving licence in India. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.